For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; (24) and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”  (25) In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying “This cup is the new covenant in My blood.  This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”  (26) For as often  you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 

The first letter to the Corinthians  was written by the Apostle Paul in response to problems in the early church at Corinth – and our verses today are specific to the abuse of the sacrament of The Lords supper. Paul addresses this by exposing the abuse and beginning with verse 23, he writes of the proper method righting error.

The teachings of Christ were new and vast ideas – people were told to look differently of themselves, their neighbors; on their relationship with God: pretty much in all things. The ancient world’s custom of sharing a meal – including providing for the needs of poorer members – had been adopted by the  church in Jerusalem – And spread to Christians in Corinth.  It was common for Christians to eat together and each would bring something for  the  meal and after that bread and wine were passed around. But in Corinth the solemnity seems to have passed and the wealthy didn’t share the best food and didn’t wait for the common distribution of food.  Instead of feasts of the Christian church,  the practice of commemorating the Lord’s supper became profane and excessive.

Paul tells the Corinthians “I praise you not” and tells them that they are not taking the Lord’s supper and instructing that the only way to correct abuse was to return to Christ’s pure institution; to treat all as equal before God.